Panasonic LX10 versus Canon SX730

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX10 (called Panasonic LX15 in some regions) and the Canon PowerShot SX730 HS are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively,
in September 2016 and April 2017. Both the LX10 and the SX730 are fixed lens compact cameras that are based on an one-inch (LX10) and a 1/2.3-inch (SX730) sensor. The Panasonic has a resolution of 20 megapixel, whereas the Canon provides 20.2 MP. Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their size, their sensors, their features, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison: Panasonic LX10 vs Canon SX730

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Panasonic LX10 and the Canon SX730. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter. You can also toggle the display to switch to a percentage comparison if you prefer that the measures are being expressed in relative terms (in this case, the camera on the left – the LX10 – represents 100 percent across all the size and weight measures).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size,
the Canon SX730 is notably larger (11 percent) than the Panasonic LX10. However, the SX730 is slightly lighter (3 percent) than the LX10. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the LX10 nor the SX730 are weather-sealed.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, just select a new right or left
comparator from among the camera models in the table. Alternatively, you can also move across to the CAM-parator tool and
choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The SX730 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 43 percent) than the LX10, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison: Panasonic LX10 vs Canon SX730

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Panasonic LX10 features an one-inch sensor and the Canon SX730
a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The sensor area in the SX730 is 76 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.7 and 5.6. The sensor in the LX10 has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the SX730 offers a 4:3 aspect. The LX10 has the particularity of featuring a switch that allows to toggle between different aspect ratios,
while maintaining the same field of view and full image resolution.

In terms of underlying technology, both cameras are build around BSI-CMOS sensors.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the SX730 offers a slightly higher
resolution of 20.2 megapixel, compared with 20 MP of the LX10.
This megapixel advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel
(with a pixel pitch of 1.18μm versus 2.41μm for the LX10). However, it should be noted that the SX730 is a somewhat more recent model (by 6 months) than the LX10, and its sensor
might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that partly offset its pixel-size disadvantage. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the SX730 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the LX10 provides a higher video resolution than the SX730. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the Canon is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison: Panasonic LX10 vs Canon SX730

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The LX10 and the SX730 are similar in the sense that neither of the two has a viewfinder.
The images are, thus, framed using live view on the rear LCD. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Panasonic LX10, the Canon SX730, and comparable cameras. If you need more detail on the specs, you can find comprehensive listings, for example, in the dpreview camera hub.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The LX10
has a touchscreen, while the SX730 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example,
for setting the focus point.

The reported shutter speed and shutter burst refer to the use of the mechanical shutter. In addition, the LX10 features
an electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (rolling shutter) or
shooting under artificial light sources (flickering).

Both the LX10 and the SX730 have zoom lenses build in. The LX10 has a 24-72mm f/1.4-2.8 optic and the SX730 offers a 24-960mm f/3.3-6.9 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the Panasonic and Canon provide the same view at the wide-angle end, but the Canon has more tele-photo reach at the long end. The LX10 offers the faster maximum aperture.

The LX10 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Panasonic.
In contrast, the SX730 has been discontinued (but it can be found pre-owned on eBay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the SX730 was succeeded by the Canon SX730 HS.

Review summary: Panasonic LX10 vs Canon SX730

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Panasonic LX10 or the Canon SX730 – has the upper hand? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Reasons to prefer the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX10:

Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.

More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (43 percent cheaper at launch).

More modern: Was introduced somewhat (6 months) more recently.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the LX10 is the clear winner of the match-up (14 : 6 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera.

LX10 14:06 SX730

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the handling experience and imaging performance when actually working with the LX10 or the SX730. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate. This is why expert reviews are important. The adjacent table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, photographyblog). The full reviews are available by clicking on the site logo in the table header.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just make your choice using the following search menu. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored. If the camera you are interested in is not available, please contact me, and I will try to add information on that model to the database.